Flowing Against the Current: Kristina’s Story on Overcoming Adversity

As Kristina Fleming, a D.C. native and Generation Hope Scholar, walks the historic campus of Trinity Washington University, she knows she belongs. In the light of late summer, her eyes are drawn to a serene fountain in the garden, surrounded by limestone buildings that have witnessed over a century of D.C. history. With a smile on her face, she knows this is where she’s meant to be.

While she points out a few areas of the campus that are in need of renovation, people greet her. Everyone seems to know Kristina, and they are quick to share a fond story about her. It is clear that there are many people here who are rooting for her.

As a teen parent and a first-generation college student who grew up in the foster care system, it might be easy for Kristina to feel out of place in the chandelier-dotted halls with floor-to-ceiling dark oak panels. Yet at Trinity, creating inclusive spaces, especially for students of color, is not a new idea, but an intentional daily practice.

At 26 years old, Kristina has overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, but her joyful personality and sharp intelligence defy any limitation on who she is — or will become.

“I’m used to surviving,” says Kristina. “My whole life has been survival mode, but this time I’m fighting for something bigger—my future and my daughter’s future.”

Perseverance Through Extraordinary Hardships

Kristina was 14 years old when she found out she was pregnant. “I didn’t have time to be scared. I knew I had to go into mommy mode.” As the priorities in her world shifted, Kristina had to keep pushing forward, for herself and her daughter, Key’Monie.

Before she enrolled at Trinity, she often felt like she was on the run. At one particularly challenging point, she lost access to her transitional housing and became homeless due to an unstable foster care environment. She became homeless with Key’Monie while she was still an infant, and spent nights at Union Station metro in Washington, D.C. With nowhere else to go, she once had to bathe Key’Monie in the public restroom sink.

"I didn’t want the police to notice us," Kristina shared, "because I was afraid they would take my child away."

She rebounded from homelessness after saving up around $6,000 while working internships with D.C.’s Child and Family Services (CFA) and receiving financial assistance from a local program that works with teen moms. This allowed her to secure an apartment, and enroll in the Maya Angelou Young Adult Learning Center, where she worked toward her high school diploma after taking the GED test. When she finished, college was not in her plans. She began working in security and eventually moved out of the housing she was in with other teen girls, to move in with a family member. She was getting by but wanted more.

A Purpose-Driven Path Forward

One day, frustrated with the limitations of working a low-income job and parenting, she decided on a whim to apply for college. She enrolled on her own with the help of a caring faculty member at Trinity who she remains close with to this day. She got into college and immediately began pursuing her degree with her full self.

It was Kristina’s love and adoration for Key’Monie that drove her to better her circumstances. “I named my daughter Key’Monie, which means ‘unique and creative’, I already knew her name before she was born. When she arrived, I felt pure love. I felt like someone in the world loved me for the first time.”

She told herself that she would be the person to break a generational pattern in her family. “Motherhood doesn’t come with a manual, but I knew one thing—I didn’t want my daughter to feel like I did growing up.”

By the time Kristina discovered Generation Hope, she had already earned her associate degree on her own with little to no support. Living in a cramped studio apartment with her daughter, the weight of life seemed heavier each day. She wanted to continue reaching for more, so she applied to Generation Hope’s Scholar program for support as she pursued her bachelor's degree, joining at the height of the pandemic.

As a Generation Hope Scholar, Kristina receives coaching, emergency support, tuition assistance, and other vital, wrap-around services that help Scholars earn their degrees. This includes access to an emergency fund that Kristina recently used to pay a big overdue phone bill. The pandemic created many economic barriers, and it still feels to Kristina that there is a lot of work to do for the community to recover.

“Even though the world was shutting down with the pandemic, I couldn’t afford to stop. I had to survive, for me and for my daughter.” But for too many teen parents, with scarce opportunities, college can be a cold and unwelcoming place. Fortunately, leaders at Trinity and Generation Hope had already aligned to create a space where Kristina and other student parents like her could know they are welcome.

Trinity Washington University had been part of the inaugural cohort of participants in FamilyU, Generation Hope’s groundbreaking program that partners with higher education institutions to advance student-parent success. Patricia McGuire, President of Trinity Washington University, knew that FamilyU would be a wise investment.

During their time in FamilyU, Trinity discovered that approximately 50% of Trinity students have children, and many have other family responsibilities as well. They took action, and among other initiatives, designed a family-inclusive student area in the library intended to offer a secure environment for families to gather, study, and build community. The cohort participants collected data and built action plans to make their campus even more inclusive for parents.

By the time Kristina began pursuing her bachelor's degree at Trinity, there was already a deep awareness of student parents and culture of support there.

It was this collaborative ecosystem, this awareness, and inclusive community that built the culture on campus that would make Kristina so at home and play a role in supporting her dreams for herself and Key’Monie.

Realizing a Higher Purpose

Kristina brings her ideas to life. Despite the odds, she is pursuing her bachelor's in social work with a deep sense of purpose and a commitment to uplifting people who have come from similar situations.

At Trinity, Kristina says, “I didn’t just survive—I thrived. And now, I’m going to help others do the same.”  It is easy to hear the resolve in her voice, her inner strength and passion for everything she does. “I’ve learned that my past doesn’t define me. Where I’ve come from only makes my future more powerful.”

Kristina has already launched @krisadcovates, her own grassroots nonprofit advocating for youth in Washington, D.C., and dreams of developing a new venture to create a mobile shower trailer for the homeless and a transitional living program.

Director of D.C. Programming, Alexandra Fields, is Kristina’s go-to support, serving as her Hope Coach, and is always quick to help with practical needs. The two share a bond because they were both in foster care. Senior Mental Health Manager, Asia Vianna Leak, serves as her counselor, providing emotional guidance, offering honest feedback and lifting her spirits during tough times. Together, they form a vital support system, alongside her peer community of Scholars, Kristina and her daughter are never distant from a caring community.

“I’m not just breaking cycles; I’m building something entirely new—something stronger, for me, my daughter, and those who come after us. I want to thank the Generation Hope staff and the donors for everything they have done to support the success of Scholars. Stars are made here - and I want girls to know – we run this”

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